A Parlour for a Plague

Beyond tired of being in lockdown again. Six weeks into this round. About 3000 cases a day in the city. Unfreakingbelievable. We were under 5 a day back in August. Set goes for his walks after midnight. We've been getting groceries delivered since July. Miss my little grocers and markets.

Bloody hell Beth! Awful.

Do you have any vaccine rollout happening?

At least you are complying with the rules ehBeth and I thank you. We have few if any cases on the island at present but I noticed today when we ventured out for groceries that two of our seasonal neighbours from down south have decided that visiting their cottages from areas ravaged by covid is a fine idea. We know both of these couples casually. If we ever get back to "normal" not sure how I will feel about speaking to them.

Be safe

Thanks D.

Wishing all my US friends well today.

The same for you and for the other Earthlings around the world.

I can't believe I'm still watching the certification of electoral votes during the joint session. It was so distressing watching the mob storm the Capitol building, I'm fearful that something else could happen to disrupt this process.

I find this whole horrible business terrifying and infuriating.

I have become obsessed with watching. CNN is my friend. I usually avoid anything related to politics, but now I'm hooked.

It feels both unreal and also totally expected. Logical result of the Trump’s behaviour

Woollies turn ten today.

What a turbulent ten years we have been through together.

Plenty of times I thought neither of them would make it this far.

I'm not sure what's going on with our summer this year. It's freezing, 5 degrees on my veranda at the moment, that's about 40 degrees Fahrenheit. It's like the middle of winter.

I think we've had 2 or 3 days that have actually been hot so far, mainly it's been pretty cool and wet. And that's fine, at least the bushfire risk is minimal for a change.

This time last year the High Country was burning out of control, and this weekend they're expecting snow up there.

La Niña I think. We are similar so far, but not so cold.

Sadly, very little rain.

We've had heaps of rain. This is the first time I can remember ever having to mow in January. By this time the grass is usually brown and dry and doesn't need it, but this year everything is green and growing madly.

Wow! We get showers that just wet the ground for a few minutes

I wish a happy birthday to the woollies. They should both live and be well, as my grandma used to say.

You should live and be well, too, bunny.

Thank you. I didn’t think they’d make it on several occasions


How are YOU Roberta?

Dem woollies is tough. like their mother.

I'm ok. I haven't been out of my building in several months. I haven't seen a whole human face in several months.

I wonder what kind of effect such dehumanizing (face masks) will have on children.

Hmm.
Children (everyone actually) see a lot of real people online, on their virtual classes, zoom, facetime, etc etc.

In day to day life, I rarely see people, or animals get pushed or injured, but when I see it happening in the news, I know it's real. So would children.
When we hear someone online telling us something that happened to them, or a story with a lesson, we know it's really happening. Especially if the person telling us is sitting right on the "other side" of our screen, and we're talking directly to each other.

Also, throughout the ages lots of families were raised in an area that might be just a few miles from the nearest village/town/neighbor, and we might not visit them, or go to get supplies, for weeks or months at a time.
Those ppl, including the kids, had the knowledge these people a few miles from them (or hundreds) were real people.

I can see children as getting to read subtle facial expressions of the eyes and body to get what's going on.
I can't speak for other countries, but frankly I get kinda disgusted at so many Americans need to produce these overblown facial expressions. The giant overdone grins, the faux shocked looks. If one's face is more placid, they're often asked "What's wrong?"

I don't think kids are going to lose the ability to know there's a real person behind the mask.

How do people, including children who are blind keep from dehumanizing ppl?

I stole this from a post on Facebook for Boida

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Sayings of a Jewish Buddha

If there is no self, whose arthritis is this?

Be here now. Be someplace else later. Is that so complicated?

Drink tea and nourish life; with the first sip, joy; with the second sip, satisfaction; with the third sip, peace; with the fourth, a Danish.

Wherever you go, there you are. Your luggage is another story.

Accept misfortune as a blessing. Do not wish for perfect health, or a life without problems. What would you talk about?

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single Oy.

There is no escaping karma. In a previous life, you never called, you never wrote, you never visited. And whose fault was that?

Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.

The Tao does not speak. The Tao does not blame. The Tao does not take sides. The Tao has no expectations. The Tao demands nothing of others. The Tao is not Jewish.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out. Forget this and attaining Enlightenment will be the least of your problems.

Let your mind be as a floating cloud. Let your stillness be as a wooded glen. And sit up straight. You'll never meet the Buddha with such rounded shoulders.

Deep inside you are ten thousand flowers.
Each flower blossoms ten thousand times.
Each blossom has ten thousand petals.
You might want to see a specialist.

Be aware of your body. Be aware of your perceptions. Keep in mind that not every physical sensation is a symptom of a terminal illness.

(From the book ZEN JUDAISM by David M Bader)